Apparatus for lowering persons or dead-weights.



No. 720,310. PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903;

A. WYSS-BAUMGARTNER. APPARATUS FOR LOWERING PERSONS 0R DEAD-WEIGHTS.

APPLIOATION FILED 00127, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED WYSS-BAUMGARTNER, OF SOLOTHURN, SWITZERLAND.

APPARATUS FOR LOWERING PERSONS OR DEAD-WEIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 720,310, dated February10, 1903.

Application filed October 27, 1902. Serial No. 129,025. (No modelficasing being above and the other part below To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED WYSS-BAUM- GARTNER, a citizenof the Republicof Switzerland, and a resident of Solothurn, Switzerland, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Persons orDead-Weights, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is a device by means of which persons anddead-weights may be lowered from a height in a building or otherelevated position, and it provides a means of escape from a building onfire.

The accompanying drawings show two methods of constructing my saidapparatus.

Figure 1 is a View of the apparatus in its simplest form. Fig. 2 is aview of the apparatus provided with a casing inclosing a portionthereof.

In the drawings, a denotes a wire which is to be considered as attachedto, say, the beam of a roof, to a window-sill, or other suitable andsecure object. Around this main wire is closely wound several times, asshown at b, the wire 0, so that by friction of the latter on the mainwire it will remain fixed at any part of the said main wire. The middlewindings b of the wire 0 are, however, made more open or looser aroundthe main wire than the other turns or windings, so that they stand outtherefrom instead of fitting closely to it, as do the other turns orwindings. A portion of the wire 0 at each end thereof is not woundaround the main wire, and these free ends of the wire a are eachprovided with a handring, a cord, or other means which a person maygrasp in order to loosen or tighten the hold of the wire 0 on the mainwire, thus regulating the friction according to the burden suspended atd, as hereinafter explained,

and causing the said wire 0 to descend orslide along the main wire or toremain stationary at any point thereon. It is evident that the looseningof the pressure is effected by drawing the ends of the wire 0 away fromeach other.

The construction shown in' Fig. 2 of the drawings is one in which thespiral windings b of the wire a are inclosed in a case or cylinder madein parts, joined by screws, in such a manner that the looser windingsprotrude outside the said casing, one part of the said these looserwindings at or about the middle of the wire 0. The unwound end portionsof the wire 0 extend ontside of the casing, which is provided with atoothed crown g at each end, so that the ends of the wire 0 orattachments thereto passing between the teeth of the crown they may beheld more or less apart and in the desired position to regulate thefriction and control the motion of the said wire on the main wire in themanner hereinbefore described.

The apparatus can be used for saving life or property from a burningbuilding. A fireman or rescuer fastening himself to the sliding wire bymeans of a swivel spring-hook or other device, as shown at (1, attachedto the wire 0 in the looser windings b,seizes the handles or rings 6,whereby he can cause himself to be lowered with more or less rapidityand can stay the descent at any moment by regulating the friction, ashereinbefore described.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is-- 1. An apparatus for lowering persons anddead-weights, the said apparatus consisting of a main wire which isadapted to be made fast at one end to any fixed object and around whichanother wire is spirally wound, the end portions of the latter wirebeing left free to be drawn more or less apart from one another andbeing provided with cords, rings or other attachments to facilitate thedrawing of the said end portions more or less widely apart from oneanother, thereby increasing or lessening the friction, so that the saidwire may be caused to remain stationary at any point on the main wire orto slide thereon, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for lowering persons and dead-weights, said apparatusconsisting of a main wire adapted to be fastened at one end to a fixedobj ect, another wire wound thereon with several turns, these spiralwindings closely fitting to the main wire, except as regards a few ofthe turns, about midway,which are loosely wound around the main wire topermit a hook or other suspensory or holding device to be attachedthereto, the end portions of the wire thus wound upon the main wirebeing left free to be drawn more or less apart from one another andbeing provided with cords, rings or other attachments to facilitate thedrawing of the said end portions more or less widely apart, therebyincreasing or lessening the friction so that the said wire may be causedto remain stationary at any point on the main wire, or to slide thereon,substantially as described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

3. An apparatus for lowering persons or dead-weights, said apparatusconsisting of a main wire adapted to be fastened to a fixed object,another wire inclosed partly within a casing madein two parts,the wire,so inclosed, being spirally wound around the main wire, the centralwindings being of greater circumference than the other windings whichfit close to the main wire, the looser windings,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 30 my hand in presence of twowitnesses.

ALFRED WYSS-BAUMGARTNER.

Witnesses:

ERNST PFESTROFF, EDGAR GILLoN.

